1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sewing machine and more particularly relates to a sewing machine having an indicating device which is electrically operated to indicate a plurality of selected patterns arranged to be stitched in combination.
2. Related Art
Now a sewing machine having a zigzag stitching function for forming the patterns of zigzag stitches is available in the market and is widely used. Such a sewing machine is generally provided with an indicating device for indicating the patterns selected by the user for confirmation at the time of stitching the selected patterns.
The pattern data for stitching patterns are generally formed up in consideration of the difference in efficiency of circular arc movement of machine needle and of forward and reverse movement of a work feeding mechanism. It is, therefore, unavoidable that the pattern data indicated as being in the indicating device will be different from the actually stitched result of the patterns. Therefore, the indication data for indicating patterns are generally prepared by using the bit map data for each of the patterns to be selectively stitched.
However, in the recent years, the sewing machine has come to have many functions including optional combination of patterns, optional enlargement and reduction of patterns and so on. In fact, the conventional indicating function is not sufficient for satisfying such variation of patterns to be stitched.
For example, in case the patterns are to be stitched in combination, the patterns are not indicated in a combined state, but are indicated individually. Further, in case the patterns are optionally enlarged or reduced by the user, the patterns indicated will remain as unchanged.
The invention has been provided to eliminate such defects and disadvantages of the prior art.
For attaining the object, the invention has been made in connection with a sewing machine for stitching optionally selected patterns in accordance with pattern data, and the sewing machine comprises a means for giving indication data for said pattern data, a means for arranging said indication data in accordance with a combination of said pattern data, a means for changing said indication data in accordance with the change of said pattern data, a means for indicating said indication data in a manner that said indication data may be scrolled, a means for designating an initial one of the pattern data indicated at said indicating means.
With the combination of elements, in case the patterns are optionally combined, the indication data is indicated in accordance with the combined patterns and may be changed in accordance with change of the pattern data. Such indication data as indicated will be confirmed by the machine user as being the same with the stitched result of patterns which are selected to be stitched. Further, since the means for indicating the indication data may be so formed as to scroll the indicated patterns, all of the patterns may be indicated even if a series patterns to be indicated are beyond the indication area of the indicating device. Further, with a means provided to designate the pattern data to be changed at the indication surface of the indicating means, the machine user may change the pattern data while the user is watching the indication data.
Further, according to the invention, in case the same patterns are combined linearly, the same patterns may be indicated in series while the image treatment is performed, wherein the stitch end point of indication data for the pattern data preceding the next indication data for the next pattern data is made to be a stitch start point of the next indication data for the next pattern data. Therefore, the actually indicated patterns may be substantially the same with the patterns to be actually stitched.
Further, according to the invention, in case the pattern data preceding the initial pattern data for the patterns indicated at the indicating means is the same with the initial pattern data, it is discriminated whether or not the initial pattern data overlaps the preceding pattern data. In case it is discriminated that the initial pattern data overlaps the preceding pattern data, the image treatment is started from the preceding pattern data so that the overlapped portion of pattern data may be indicated at the indicating means.